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Psychographics are any attributes relating to personality, values, attitudes, interests, or lifestyles. Each year, AutoPacific includes a battery of questions in the New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey that allows us to determine what the psychographic profile of each brand and model.  The results are often fascinating, or simply obvious, but confirming perceptions you might have had about a brand.

AutoPacific’s psychographic model has been developed using input from over 200,000 respondents to the New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey from 2009 through 2012.  Applying this model to our latest data lets us make valuable comparisons such as for the European Luxury Brands shown below:

As can be seen above there are eight psychographic categories in AutoPacific’s model, but European Luxury Auto Brands score highly in only three or four of them.

RevHeads: BMW, the “Ultimate Driving Machine”, scores highest in the group called “RevHead”.  This group is comprised of auto enthusiasts and people who like an active driving experience.  They like cars and BMW fits their bill for enthusiasm.

Safety First: Mercedes is tops among the “Safety First” group.  These new vehicle owners value “feeling safe in their car”, safety features and safety ratings.  Mercedes has been known for selling very safe products for decades.

Status Seekers: Far out on the “Status Seeker” scale is Jaguar.  A Status Seeker selects a vehicle that reflects their personality and social position.  The Status Seeker is strongly influenced by vehicle reputation, brand reputation, image, luxury, distinctiveness and the latest trends.  The new Jags fit that bill very accurately.

Audi the up-and-coming European Luxury brand, has owners that are “RevHeads” but not to the extent as BMW; “Safety First” but not as strongly as Mercedes-Benz; and they are about equal to BMW and Mercedes owners on the “Status Seeker” scale but nowhere near Jaguar.

About 10% of European Luxury owners slot into the “Beta Tester” category for people who are strongly into technology and infotainment.  While technology is very important and becoming more so, it pales when compared to enthusiasm, safety and status among European Luxury Owners.

Many people buying European vehicles may consider themselves “Green”, but the data do not show it.  “Going Green” is way down on the list among these owners showing when they are voting with their wallets they want power, prestige and safety.

These results make perfect sense.  Whew!